Sexuality Education

Sexuality Education (SEd) in schools is about enabling students to understand the physiological, social and emotional changes they experience as they mature, develop healthy and rewarding relationships including those with members of the opposite sex, and make wise, informed and responsible decisions on sexuality matters. SEd is premised on the importance of the family as the basic unit of society. This means encouraging healthy, heterosexual marriages and stable nuclear family units with extended family support. The teaching and learning of SEd is based on respect for the values and beliefs of the different ethnic and religious communities in Singapore on sexuality issues.

The goals of Sexuality Education are:

To help students make wise, responsible and informed decisions through the provision of accurate, current and age-appropriate knowledge on human sexuality and the consequences of sexual activity;

To help students know themselves and build healthy and rewarding relationships through the acquisition of social and emotional skills of self-awareness, management of their thoughts, feelings and behaviours,development of empathy for others, possession of effective communication,problem-solving and decision-making skills; and

To help students develop a moral compass, respect for themselves and for others as sexual beings, premised on the family as the basic unit of society, through the inculcation of positive mainstream values and attitudes about sexuality.

The key messages of Sexuality Education are:

Love and respect yourself as you love and respect others;

Build positive relationships based on love and respect (which are the foundation for strong families);

Make responsible decisions for yourself, your family and society;and

Abstinence before marriage is the best protection against STIs/HIV and unintended pregnancies. Casual sex can harm and hurt you and your loved ones.

Sexuality Education is delivered in a holistic manner through the school curriculum. The content for Sexuality Education is grouped into five main themes: Human Development, Interpersonal Relationships, Sexual Health,Sexual Behaviour, and, Culture, Society and Law.

You may clickherefor more information on the scope of Sexuality Education in the school curriculum.

The upper primary years mark the onset of puberty. With better nutrition and improved health care, children are reaching puberty at a younger age and have to grapple with physical, emotional and psychological changes in themselves. The implication is that our children are becoming biologically ready for sexual activity sooner without necessarily having the corresponding cognitive or emotional maturity to modulate their behaviours.“Curious Minds” is a response to these challenges.

At Riverside Primary School, the following lessons from the Growing Years Programme will be taught in 2018:

PRIMARY 5

UNIT

LESSON/DURATION

LESSON OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

TIME PERIOD

Gosh! I Am Changing

What Is Happening To Me?

(30 min)

know what puberty is

identify the physical changes during puberty

Term II

Week 10

What Can I Do?

(Part 1)

(30 min)

identify the stresses caused by physical changes during puberty

describe ways to manage the stresses caused by physical changes during puberty

What Can I Do?

(Part 2)

(30 min)

identify the stresses caused by physical and emotional changes during puberty

describe ways to manage the stresses caused by these changes during puberty

Term II

Week 10

Main Task

(30 min)

play the role of an Uncle/Aunt Agony to help a peer address his/her experiences during puberty

share ways to help him/her cope with the changes he/she is going through

Where I

Belong

What Are Families?

(30 min)

know that there are different types of family structures

know that every family is unique

state that the three basic functions of families are to provide love, protection and guidance

identify the right sources of help to turn to when in need

Term III

Week 10

What is My Role?

(30 min)

know that gender is about being male or female

choose not to stereotype by gender

How Do I Keep Myself Safe?

What is Safety?

(30 min)

know what sexual abuse is

know that there are laws in Singapore that can protect them from sexual abuse

know their rights in keeping themselves safe from sexual abuse

Term III

Week 10

Stop It! Run! Tell!

(30 min)

protect themselves by resisting and removing themselves from harm and seeking help from a trusted adult

know their responsibilities in minimising the risk of sexual harm

PRIMARY 6

UNIT

LESSON/DURATION

LESSON OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

TIME PERIOD

Are We More Than Friends?

Who Are My Friends?

(30 min)

identify the qualities of a healthy friendship

recognise the importance of making wise choices in friendship

Term II

Week 10

Am I A Good Friend?

(30 min)

identify the qualities that they have as a friend

recognise the importance of developing in oneself the qualities of a good friend

What is Love?

(30 min)

identify the characteristics of love and infatuation

distinguish between the characteristics of love versus infatuation

identify strong feelings arising from infatuation

Am I Falling In Love?

(30 min)

manage strong feelings arising from infatuation

identify ways to manage and cope with teasing from peers

Main Task

(30 min)

Description of the Main Task:

Pupils are to play the role of a game designer who wants to create a board game to help pupils of their age learn more about the Big Idea of Relationships, specifically on family, friendships, love and infatuation. They will consider the issues that their peers would face and craft questions and answers that they believe their peers would benefit most from knowing.

Friends or Foes?

Are You Really My Friend?

(30 min)

identify the pros and cons of forming relationships through social networking websites

know ways to keep themselves safe when using social networking websites

Term IV

Week 5

Is It All Safe?

(30 min)

know that some information (like pornography) received through the Internet may be harmful

know ways to keep themselves safe when using social networking website or the Internet

Main Task

(30 min)

Description of the Main Task:

Pupils are to apply their understanding of Safety in a variety of scenarios where the main character could be in a precarious situation. They will consider the situation from the point of view of the main character, discuss what they think and feel about the situation and what they will do or say to ensure their safety. These scenarios will provide pupils with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of Safety and that safety is a right and a responsibility.

Notes for Parents

Parents may opt their children out of the Growing Years programme.

Parents who wish to opt their children out of the Growing Years (GY) programme will need to complete an opt-out form. This form will be distributed to parents at the start of the year and is also downloadable here. A hardcopy of the form, duly completed and signed, is to be submitted to the school office by 23 February 2018.